Cable end receptacle



June 7, 949 A. A. MAHREN l CABLE END RECEPTACLE Filed sept. 14, 1946 I NVEN TOR. ANZ ula/1. Ma/*azz ATTORNEY Patented `lune 7, `1 949 lTEDSTATES CABLE END RECEPTACLE Delaware Application September 14, 1946,Serial No. 697,108

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to a cable receptacle and more particularly to a`cable receptacle which is adapted to fit over the ends of a cable fortest purposes such as by a so-called velocity propagation meter.

As is well known, coaxial cables include a center conductor, a layer ofinsulation or insulating space, then an outer conductor which maycomprise a braid of conducting material and finally, an outer coating ofinsulation. For testing purposes the outer insulation is peeled back andthe braid of the second conductor exposed. The braid and also theinsulation between it if present, and the inner conductor are cut back,leaving the inner conductor and outer conductor braid exposed with theinner conductor extending beyond the outer braid. It then becomes aproblem of connecting the exposed conductor ends to a cable receptacle,which in turn is connected with instruments for testing the cable.

The objects of the invention among others are: to provide a cablereceptacle suitable for connecting a coaxial cable into testingapparatus; a cable receptacle adaptable to testing cables of differentdiameter or dual coaxial cables; a cable receptacle that allows anoperator to measure the exact length of a cable; a cable receptacle thatis simple and economical in construction, and is durable and longlasting; and a cable receptacle requiringno special skill on the part ofan operator to assemble and install.

In carrying out the objects of the invention there is provided a cablereceptacle comprising a guide sleeve of insulating material forreceiving and guiding a cable thereinto. A conductor element is embeddedwithin the guide sleeve and said guide sleeve and conductor element areassociated with a terminal block assembly by being connected thereto andsupported thereby. The conductor element within the insulator guidesleeve may have spring fingers to insure electrical contact with a cableentered therein. The terminal block assembly may consist of a terminalinsulator block within a terminal conductor block having means forsecuring the cable receptacle to a supporting member. The insulatorguide sleeve with the conductor element mounted therein may be removablyconnected with and supported from the terminal conductor block as byhaving the conductor element in the insulator guide sleeve screwthreaded into the terminal conductor block to allow interchange ofdifferent sized and single or dual cable insulator lguide sleeves andconductor elements to care for different sized cables.

With theforegoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereina-iter and will be particularly pointed out in theclaims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like, or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a perspective View of the cable receptacle shown attached toa panel with a portion thereof broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional View of the cable receptacle showing means forattaching the cable receptacle to a panel and means for attaching theparts of the cable receptacle together; Y

Figure 3 is another sectional view of the cable receptacle cut at adifferent point around the cable receptacle;

Figure 4 is an end view of another type of cable receptacle to receivedual coaxial cables; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings I represents a guide sleeve of the cablereceptacle to receive and guide a coaxial cable into the cablereceptacle. The guide sleeve l is ared at 2 to guide a cable into thecable receptacle and the guide sleeve is an insulator member and ispreferably made of Bakelite. A conductor element 3 is mounted withinguide sleeve l and secured in place within guide sleeve I as by screwsil. As can be readily seen, conductor 3 is removable from guide sleeve lby withdrawal of the fastening means which may be the screws fi. Theconductor member 3 is made preferably of brass but may be made of anyconductor metal. The conductor member 3 is screw threaded on one endthereof as by male thread 5 for mounting the insulator guide sleeve land conductor member 3 to other parts of the cable receptacle and tosupport the insulator guide sleeve l and conductor member 3 from asupporting means. Around the inner periphery of the conductor element 3are spring members 6 which may be phosphorus bronze springs to improveelectrical contact between a cable entered into the cable receptacle andthe conductor element 3. The cable receptacle also includes a terminalblock assembly which is made up of a terminal conductor block l' with aterminal insulator block 8 within the terminal conductor block. Theterminal insulator block 8 has a center boring in the center thereof inwhich spring terminal 3a. is threadably adjustable, the block 3 beingremovably attached to the terminal conductor block 'l by screws I0. Theterminal conductor block i is screw threaded as by female threads II toreceive the male threads on conductor element 3 to thus removably securethe insulator guide sleeve I and conductor element 3 to the terminalconductor block 'I and terminal insulator block 8. The terminalconductor block carries means I2 in the form of screws to attach theassembled cable receptacle to a supporting member such as panel I3. Theterminal' conductor block l may be of any suitable metal and copper hasbeen used successfully. Electrical contact is established between theconductor element 3 and the terminal conductor block 'I by the screwthreaded connection .between threads and I I. The terminal insulatormember 8 may be made of a suitable insulating material and polystyreneresin has been found most satisfactory. y K

In operation the cable receptacle receives a coaxial cable toelectrically couple the coaxial cable through the cable receptacle tosuitable testing instruments. A coaxial cable is represented generallyin Figure 2 in broken lines Where insulation is shown removed for ashort distance fromv inner and outer conductors of such cable with theinner conductor extending slightly (about elf more or less) beyond theouter conductor. The cable is entered into the cable receptacle beingguided therein by the ilare 2 on insulator guide sleeve I. The end ofconductor I4 is contacted by spring members 6 on the inner periphery ofconductor element 3. This effects an electrical coupling or contactbetween conductor I4, springs 6, conductor element 3 and terminalconductor block I which in turn is connected with testing instrumentsv(not shown). The terminus of the conductor contacts the spring terminal9a, the shank I5 of which is threaded in the centra1 boring 9 in theterminal insulator block 8.

To care for cables of dilerent diameter, a number of differentdiametered guide sleeves I and conductor elements 3 may be provided. Theguide sleeve I and conductor element 3 are removable fromv the terminalconductor blocli 'I and terminal insulator block 8 by'me'ans of thescrew threaded connection between conductor element 3 and terminalconductor block 'Il The terminal conductor block 'I is held4siipportedpn panel I3 by screw I2'even though guide s'leeve yI and'conductor element 3 are removed. The proper diametered guide sleeve lIand conductor element 3 are selected and assembledl after which theassembly is screwed into terminal conductor block 1. It is merelynecessary to provide a set of guide sleeves I and conductor elements .3of equal outer diameter with differing inner diameters.

Figures 4 and 5 show a modified form of cable receptacle for dualcoaxial cables. The dual coaxial cable comprises two coaxial cables sideby side with a conductingr braid surrounding the two cables, aninsulating coating being applied over the braid. The modified cablereceptacle is similar in every respect to the previously described cablereceptacle except that the guide sleeve I is different. In Figure 4 theentrance to guide sleeve I6 and the inner shape of conductor I1 for dualcoaxial cables are elliptical as shown at I8. The elliptically shapedcable opening I8 allows for the entrance of the dual coaxial cable. Theelements I6, I1 and I9 may be interchangeable with elements I, 3 and 6,respectively, within a given range of sizes.

While the invention has been described in connection with specificembodiments, it is to be understood that the same is intended asillustrative and not as limitative since other forms of the inventionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or principleshereof. The invention is rather that defined by the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A cable end receptacle comprising an insulator guide sleeve having aflaring opening in one end, a conductor element secured in said guidesleeve and having one of its ends projecting therebeyond, a terminalconductor block engaging the conductor element, a terminal insulatorblock secured in said terminal conductor block and a spring terminalextending through a central bore in said terminal insulator block andhaving end portions thereof projecting therebeyond.

2. A cable end receptacle comprising an insulator guide sleeve having aflaring opening in one end, a conductor element secured insaid guidesleeve and'having one of its ends projecting therebeyond. a terminalconductor block tli'readedly engaging the outer surface'of the conductorelement, a terminalv insulator block secured in said terminal conductor:block and being co-terminous with'one end thereof and a spring terminalvextending through a centra1 rbore in said terminal insulator block'andhaving end portions thereof projecting therebeyond.

3. A cable end receptacle comprising'an insulatorH guide sleeve having aflaring opening in lone end'through which a cable end is adapted to beinserted, a conductor element secured in andl extending beyond the guidesleeve and'provided with spring fingers around theinner peripherythereof, a termina1 conductor block detachably connected to theconductor element extension, ay terminal insulator block of poly?styrene resin secured in 'the'y terminal conduetor block anda springterminal extending through a bore in said terminal insulator block andhaving one end adapted to be contacted by the cable end in thereceptacle and the other end adapted to be connected to a testingdevice.

ARTHUR A. MAHREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references*l are of record in theA i'lleof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

